DISCLAIMER: These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.
SPOILERS: None in particular, set generally after Season 3.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Let Me In
By Jaina
"Let me." There was a gentleness in Ziva's voice that killed the automatic protest before it rolled off of Abby's lips.
She smiled over her shoulder at Ziva and stepped back. "Thanks. I can't believe I locked my keys in my car."
"We were all in a hurry to get to work this morning."
Gibbs had called his entire team out at 3 am to begin the search for the missing daughter of a Marine sergeant. Abby had been roused from her bed at a similar hour to begin processing what scant evidence that they could give her. Given the speed which the case required and the earliness of the hour it was fortunate that Abby's keys getting locked in her car was the worst thing that had come of it.
Abby leaned back against the back door of her car and watched Ziva as she worked with smooth efficiency to get the car door unlocked, sans key.
Ziva gave one final tug and the lock slipped into place. Abby heard it thud open and smiled. She shifted along the car until she was between Ziva and the door. Wrapping her arms around Ziva's neck, she tiredly rested her forehead against Ziva's. Ziva returned the embrace without a trace of awkwardness, content to hold Abby for as long as she wished to be held.
"I'm lucky to have a girlfriend with so many skills," Abby whispered, her amusement evident in her tone.
Ziva laughed, startled by Abby's statement. "Anyway I can be of service," she offered dryly, thinking of all of the other uses her skills had been put to in the past.
Abby tilted her head to capture Ziva's lips in an easy kiss. It was filled with comfort and affection, a much needed balm against the pain and stress of the day.
"Come home with me?" Abby leaned back a little to look up at Ziva with pleading eyes.
Her gaze tugged on Ziva's heart. The way she was falling for Abby so hard and so quickly was almost frightening. It was nearly impossible to tell her no. She didn't even try to deny her.
"I'll meet you there, yes?"
"We could just take my car. I'll even bring you in to work in the morning," Abby teased her with a small grin. She usually wasn't this clingy, but tonight she didn't even want to be alone from the time it took to drive to her place. She bit her lip unconsciously, hoping that Ziva wouldn't be mad.
"Gibbs..." Ziva's protest was short lived and didn't really need to be spelled out.
"He already knows," Abby blurted out. Somehow Gibbs always knew, especially when it came to her. When she'd demanded to know how he'd known, he'd only smiled enigmatically and walked away. It was what made him Gibbs.
"Ah." Ziva seemed slightly surprised, but not upset by the revelation. "Shall we go then?" She opened Abby's car door for her and held it until she got inside.
Slipping into the car on the other side, she tried not to fidget. Ziva was always restless when she wasn't the one in the driver's seat. It was nothing against Abby's driving, just an itching need to be doing something. Being forced into inactivity was far too close to helplessness.
"Ziva? Are you upset because Gibbs knows? Because now that Gibbs knows, the Director probably does too. And it won't be a problem professionally, because Gibbs doesn't really care about that. Just that we're good at our jobs, but I know that you and the Director used to have a thing, and I just didn't..."
"Abby," Ziva cut into her rapid speech. She reached across to capture Abby's hand and give it a light squeeze. "I'm not upset." She took a deep breath and tried to put her thoughts into words. "I'm just not used to being in a relationship."
"Oh." Abby was silent for a moment. Her chin trembled and she blinked rapidly, looking away from Ziva as they sat at the stoplight. "So, does that mean that you don't want to be in a relationship with me?"
"Abby." Ziva spoke sharply and then groaned. "You misunderstand me. Let me explain. I really like you, Abby. I would like to spend more time with you. If I did not like you, I wouldn't have let you talk me into spending the night with you."
"Really?" Abby sounded hesitantly hopeful.
"Of course," Ziva responded immediately. "I wouldn't lie to you."
"Right, I didn't mean..." Abby's eyes narrowed and she glanced over at Ziva. "You're teasing me again aren't you?"
"Yes," Ziva agreed with a smile as Abby slapped her on the shoulder. She caught Abby's hand and held it there against her body until they got to Abby's place.
Together they walked inside, arm in arm.
The End